late for me, it is late for you," answered Margaret, who,
now that the trial had come, felt the awkwardness of the task she had
undertaken.

"But I had business," answered Mr. Hamilton; and Margaret, looking him
steadily in the face, asked:

"Is not your business of a nature which equally concerns us all?"

A momentary flush passed over his features as he replied, "What do you
mean? I do not comprehend."

Hurriedly, and in broken sentences, Margaret told him what she meant,
and then tremblingly she waited for his answer. Frowning angrily, he
spoke to his daughter the first harsh words which had ever passed his
lips toward either of his children.

"Go to your room, and don't presume to interfere with me again. I
trust I am competent to attend to my own matters!"

Almost convulsively Margaret's arms closed round her father's neck,
as she said, "Don't speak so to me, father. You never did
before--never would now, but for _her_. Oh, father, promise me, by the
memory of my angel mother, never to see her again. She is a base,
designing woman."

Mr. Hamilton unwound his daughter's arms from his neck, and speaking
more gently, said, "What proof have you of that assertion? Give me
proof, and I promise to do your bidding."

But Mag had no such proof at hand, and she could only reiterate her
suspicions, her belief, which, of course, failed to convince the
biased man, who, rising, said: "Your mother confided and trusted in
her, so why should not you?"

The next moment Margaret was alone. For a long time she wept, and it
was not until the eastern horizon began to grow gray in the morning
twilight that she laid her head upon her pillow, and forgot in sleep
how unhappy she had been. Her words, however, were not without their
effect, for when the night came round on which her father was
accustomed to pay his weekly visit, he stayed at home, spending the
whole evening with his daughters, and appearing really gratified at
Margaret's efforts to entertain him. But, alas! the chain of the widow
was too firmly thrown around him for a daughter's hand alone to sever
the fast-bound links.

When the next Thursday evening came Mag was confined to her room by a
sick headache, from which she had been suffering all day. As night
approached she frequently asked if her father were below. At last the
front door opened, and she heard his step upon the piazza. Starting
up, she hurried to the window, while at the same moment Mr. Hamilton
pa